May 22

Gyms Lincoln Park & Downtown Chicago Loop

Dua Lipa’s ‘Physical’ is essentially a workout anthem by design — 148 BPM with a disco-inspired groove that keeps you moving. Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love,’ The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights,’ and Doja Cat’s ‘Say So’ combine infectious hooks with danceable rhythms perfect for cardio. Beyond tempo, look for songs with strong bass lines, powerful drops, aggressive vocals, and building intensity.

Google Pixel Watch 3

The Jrny app provides a mix of video- and audio-prompted rides and workouts. The video rides are fine but lack the energy and wide range of intensity levels that other platforms offer. We also wish the cadence (rpm) showed as a standalone number instead of on a sliding graph at the top of the console, for greater specificity. I particularly enjoyed the audio-only outdoor walking and running classes, in which a coach picks a playlist and talks you through a 20- to 45-minute workout, while the app tracks how far you went and your overall pace.

What I Look for in a Workout App

best app for working out at home

Inclines of up to 15% are especially good for walkers who want to work up a bigger sweat as they exercise. Only a small handful of treadmills we researched and tested offered declines (namely the BowFlex, NordicTrack 1750 and NordicTrack 1250), which is a great feature for simulating real-road conditions with uphills and downhills. If you plan on doing interval or HIIT workouts that involve running at high speeds, you’ll need a treadmill with advanced capabilities in this area. Most people aren’t running at faster than 10 mph, so the 12 mph speed caps you’ll see on most models on this list should be just fine. The Peloton Tread and Tread+ offer the fastest belt speeds (12.5 mph) among the models we tested. The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 was the easiest treadmill model to fold and move around among those we tested.

Trending Music — free on iPhone

It gives you a workout to do every day—most are about 30 minutes, though some days it told me to do two different ones in the same day—and an eating plan to follow. However, it’s still important to consider the size of your space and the size of the machine before buying one. Most models are designed to be compact and portable; the options on our list measure between 43 to 57 inches in length and 20 to 27 inches in width, so they can comfortably fit in an apartment or home office.

  • NordicTrack and Peloton are great for people looking for a more premium experience, while Horizon and Sperax carry more affordable options that also work well for folks tight on space.
  • The recipes are delicious, and easy to follow, and I appreciated having everything in one place.
  • If you’re looking for a slightly larger machine that supports more rigorous activity, take a look at the NordicTrack Commercial Series 1250.
  • This is perfect for anyone who tends to overtrain or struggles with balancing intense workouts and recovery (me).
  • So, if you want to add more exercise into your routine, and develop a mindfulness habit, the app can help with that.
  • For the most accurate measurements, it’s best to consult with a fitness professional.

My Favorite Workout Clothes

I don’t have an exercise bar, but I used a set of the best adjustable dumbbells and still got a great workout. However, if you use a non-Apple fitness tracker, you may be a bit limited for now. For example, I wasn’t able to connect my best Garmin watch to the SWEAT app.

The Best Walking Pads, Compared

This hugely popular user-generated system lets cyclists log rides, which, in turn, helps others plan theirs. There is an extensive bank of routes, including off-road and gravel, for you to explore. If you’re looking specifically for the best indoor training apps to keep you entertained while plugging away on the best smart trainers, we’ve got another page digging into that.

Suunto Run Watch

best app for working out at home

You can find extenders, made by companies unaffiliated with Peloton, that are intended to rectify the issue (we have not tried them). Peloton released its newer Cross Training Series of the Bike and Bike+ in 2025, and the company no longer sells its original Bike and Bike+ models new. You can also rent the original Bike+ for $125 per month through Peloton, shoes and a subscription included.

LABOR DAY SALE, 20% OFF

Experience rowing with performance tracking and immersive virtual environments, all within one platform. Or you may find that you’re exercising about the right amount to meet your fitness goals. If you’re planning to buy exercise equipment, choose something that’s practical, fun and easy to use. You may want to try out some types of equipment at a gym or fitness center before buying your own equipment. It’s good fun, and you can set solo or group missions, such as a long-distance ride for charity fundraising, with the app including a function to track how much you’ve raised.

More by Leap Fitness Group

You can connect it to your physical bike, elliptical, or exercise machine by adding a cadence sensor — making your setup feel incredibly real. At $25 a month or $170 a year, Obé is one of the more expensive apps we tested. Many of its classes also require equipment like dumbbells, resistance unimeal review loops, and sliders—all of which Obé also sells—and, although most of the instructors offer modifications if you don’t have the equipment, this wasn’t always the case. Finally, many of the classes are dance-focused, and it could be difficult to keep up with the instructors based on audio instruction and occasionally glancing at the screen—particularly if you, like me, are very much not a dancer.

Built-In Safety Features

However, the partnership didn’t last and the workouts were removed from Netflix in March 2024, according to What’s on Netflix. The Netflix and Nike deal was meant to see if Netflix could compete with Peloton for streaming workouts, but it seems the company didn’t want to progress any further. If you enjoy the sessions and programs, you’ll find it easier to make them part of your routine and progress towards your targets. For instance, if you like intense, high-energy classes, then the Peloton app might suit you. While the Fitbit Charge 6 is already a bang for your buck, the Amazfit Active 2 is $20 less, earning it our best budget badge. It looks identical to my beloved Garmin for a third of the price, which automatically attracted me.


Tags


You may also like

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Get in touch

Name*
Email*
Message
0 of 350